Opportunities to meet with Bridget Nagomoro from Ibba, during her visit to the UK between May 11 – 27

The programme for our seminar on the challenges of girls schooling in South Sudan, in central London on Wednesday May 15

Speakers include Margaret Sentamu (wife of the Archbishop of York), Bridget Nagomoro, Hon Pia Michael, Minister of Education for Western Equatoria State, and others from South Sudan

The programme for FIGS Annual General Meeting in London on Wednesday May 15, with progress reports from Ibba and the UK, and a chance to discuss and shape our future strategy, together with Bridget, Pia and the UK Trustees

The appointment of additional FIGS Trustees – with more women, more African people and more young people

Progress in the building of the first school classrooms in Ibba

Please click on the link below to view a PDF version of our newsletter

Further FIGS funding has allowed for the next stage of the construction work to commence. This comprises not only the classroom block, but also toilets, a kitchen, a solar and generator block and completion of the second solar powered water bore-hole. This is all to be completed in the targeted time of 4 months (March to June 2013). Our architect Malcolm Worby will be travelling to Ibba again on the 15th of April to inspect progress.

This building work also helps create employment for local young people. Gabriel Gbera, head of Anisa Construction, tells us that he is excited by this prospect:

“We had a wonderful meeting with the Paramount Chief of Ibba and the community on the 19th of March. He selected 30 hardworking men from the East, Central and West of Ibba to work with us.”

Here’s a picture of the Paramount Chief (dressed in white) with some of the young local workers on the site.

You don’t need to go to South Sudan to help FIGS achieve our aim. We are working with local South Sudanese traders to design and build the school, but there are a lot of ways you can help us progress right here in England. We are looking volunteers, based in London, who’d be interested to get involved in a range of local events and activities! This will include working with:

UK-based South Sudanese communities.

Schools to raise awareness and support fundraising.

Other volunteers to organize large fundraising events.

Trustees to write bids in order to obtain funding and more…

We are a new and small charity and we have a lot of work ahead of us! By getting involved you will help shape the projects future and will make a huge difference to the lives of young South Sudanese women.

If you’re interested in getting involved we formally invite you to join us at our introductory event in London! Please can all attendees send notice of their attendance to Londonfigs@gmail.com as soon as possible.

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Ibba Girls' School will provide high quality education specifically for girls because so few get the chance to be educated beyond primary level. The school will be residential, to make it possible for girls from a wide catchment area to attend and to study safely, away from competing demands within their families. The plan is to build gradually, from an initial intake of two classes of 40 girls, to a total of 640 girls in 16 classrooms for 40 pupils each.

Empower girls

Educate Girls

Teach a man to read; you educate him for a lifetime. Teach a woman to read, and she’ll inspire her children, her friends and neighbours, start a small co-operative business, and soon the whole village is buzzing. Women are key to fighting poverty and to raising educational and living standards.

The commitment and involvement of the local community is vital to the success of this project for a new school for girls in Ibba village and county. The school has won the active support of the local community, including the village elders, tribal chiefs, the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, and the government – at county, state and national levels. We have already started to strengthen teaching at primary level, and to encourage girls to aspire to continue their education. The Friends of Ibba Girls School funded the salaries of four qualified teachers in feeder primary schools in the area. And we will support adult literacy and education classes, making the school a valuable asset to the whole community – most people have missed out on the chance of schooling because of the civil war.

Creating a girls residential school in Ibba village and county is a once in a generation opportunity to make a practical difference to the education and life chances of girls in South Sudan, most of whom get no schooling beyond the age of ten.

Friends of Ibba Girls School is Registered Charity (England and Wales) Number 1146220. And a Private Company Limited by Guarantee No 07874206. Registered office: 77, Styvechale
Avenue, Coventry, CV5 6DW, United Kingdom.